le, with a residence for a pastor, has also
of late years been provided at Briancon, with a meeting-place also at
the village of Villeneuve.

Such are the agencies now at work in the district of the High Alps,
helped on by a few zealous workers in England and abroad. While the
object of the pastors, in the words of Mr. Freemantle, is "not to
regard themselves as missionaries to proselytize Roman Catholics, but
as ministers residing among their own people, whose faith, and love,
and holiness they have to promote," they also endeavour to institute
measures with the object of improving the social and domestic
condition of the Vaudois. Thus, in one district--that of St. Laurent
du Cros--a _banque de prevoyance_, or savings-bank, has been
established; and though it was at first regarded with suspicion, it
has gradually made its way and proved of great value, being made use
of by the indigent Roman Catholics as well as Protestant families of
the district. Such efforts and such agencies as these cannot fail to
be followed by blessings, and to be greatly instrumental for good.

Our last night in France was spent in the miserable little town of
Abries, situated immediately at the foot of the Alpine ridge which
separates France from Italy. On reaching the principal hotel, or
rather auberge, we found every bed taken; but a peep into the dark and
dirty kitchen, which forms the entrance-hall of the place, made us
almost glad that there was no room for us in that inn. We turned out
into the wet streets to find a better; but though we succeeded in
finding beds in a poor house in a back lane, little can be said in
their praise. We were, however, supplied with a tolerable dinner, and
contrived to pass the night in rest, and to start refreshed early on
the following morning on our way to the Vaudois valleys of Piedmont.

[Illustration: Valley of Luserne.]

CHAPTER VI.

THE VALLEY OF THE PELICE--LA TOUR--ANGROGNA--THE PRA DU TOUR.

The village of Abries is situated close to the Alpine ridge, the
summit of which marks the boundary between France and Italy. On the
other side lie the valleys of Piedmont, in which the French Vaudois
were accustomed to take refuge when persecution ravaged their own
valleys, passing by the mountain-road we were now about to travel, as
far as La Tour, in the valley of the Pelice.

Although there are occasional villages along the route, there is no
good resting-place for travellers short of La Tou